Pickering College Teaching Assistant February 5, 2010
Posted by jennyjumps in Uncategorized.trackback
I think it was probably in or around 11th grade when I discovered my teenage angst.
Anyways; I suddenly discovered that I met the requisite age for co-operative education and seeing it as an opportunity to both a) skip school and b) prove to my old-country father that I was also the requisite age for a paying job, I signed up for the programme.
Every co-op student participates in an informal meeting with the co-op co-ordinator during the term before your co-op term begins. During my meeting I told the co-ordinator that I wanted to play the piano for the rest of my life. This is the same answer I later gave my father when he asked, “what do you want to do with the rest of your life; what will you study in university?” .
“Play the piano?”
Apparently the ADULT response to the aspirations of an angsty teenager is, “Yeah right; What’s your backup plan?”
Which is HOW, I was ultimately placed in a teaching position at Pickering College for two school terms, or 10 months.
I won’t say that I enjoyed every moment of it.
I will say that at the time, I :
- loved the good days
- hated “dressing appropriately”
- felt cursed by the GoBus schedule
- felt awkward most of the time
- was embarrassed by the eighth graders more often than not
- grew a sense of humour
- improved my sight reading skills
- learned to conduct a musical group
- taught junior school music classes both independently and as an assistant
- made lesson plans, prepared supplies for classes
- helped to grade assignments
- worked with other staff & teachers to develop concerts & performances
- learned the basics for most orchestral instruments and how to teach them
- loved the perks! the free lunches, the field trips!
- experientially discovered and categorized developmental traits by age
- experienced staff meetings & private school politics
I’m not finished.
This was one of the coolest experiences of my life – but I can only say that in retrospect.
In retrospect, my father was right. Prior to my co-operative placement, I was not prepared socially or intellectually to work in a paid position. The co-op programme prepared and coached students through the application process, counselled students on an ongoing basis, checked-in with employers and students on-site during the workday and acted as a moderator throughout the working experience to ensure that all parties acted responsibly and appropriately at all times.
Additionally, I discovered a deep and profound love for teaching. I carried that love throughout university and applied it to my education related courses, and my education related work positions.
Having worked in this environment when I was very young, I know that I could return to this position at any time, and be an even more effective school music teacher than had I not had this opportunity.
